How to Design and Build
Your Pinewood Derby Car

Pinewood
Derby for Beginners Building
a Pinewood Derby car can be quite simple, taking a few hours, or
it can be quite involved taking over a 100 hours. If this is your
first time building a car, I suggest starting out with a simple
design requiring only a few cuts of the block. Below are a few
tips that will help you build your car. Use this as a starting
point. If you want help, for a few dollars, there are several very
good products that will guide you step by step through the process
(see our How to get help page).

Before
building your car, please follow the rules and
safety guidelines.

One
self-help video recommends melting lead to add for weight. Don’t
melt lead. It is not only a very dangerous operation, it is toxic.

Children
should not use power tools without adult supervision.

Design
your Pinewood Derby Car
First step is to have fun thinking up a car design. Don’t limit your imagination,
but keep in mind that the more complicated the design, the harder it will be
cut the pine block and shape the car.

If
you are short on time, consider a very simple design that requires
only one or two cuts. For example, the wedge shaped design only
requires you to cut the block on a diagonal. Hold the block so
you are looking at it from the side, then draw a line with a ruler
from the bottom left to the top right. Voila, one cut. The half
with the axle slots is the part you are going to use, while the
other half can be used for firewood. You are basically going to
cut the block in half starting from the top edge to the bottom
edge.

From
here you can easily see how your car design can be as simple or
complex as you want.

Cut
your Pine Car Block
There are several ways to cut the block of wood. I recommend securing the block
of wood in a vise or bench. This is not only safer, but it will be faster and
easier for the saw to go through the wood. For a single, basic cut, any handsaw
will do. For more intricate cuts, use a coping saw which can be used to turn
corners for detailed cuts. If you have a band saw, you probably aren’t
reading this. But if you know someone with a band saw, they can cut the block
out for you in a jiffy. More information
about using a coping saw.

Shaping
your Pine Car Block
Now that the easy part is done, its time to shape and sand your car to create
that “Detroit showroom” look! Your car will look more like a real
car if you sand off all the rough edges, round off the edges of the block,
etc. After all, how many cars have you seen where the body comes the sharp
points. Sanding and rounding off edges will also give the car a more aerodynamic
look. A rasp is a great tool for shaping your car. See How
to use a rasp. Once
again, be sure to wear protective gloves and a face mask so you aren’t
breathing in saw dust.

To
shape your car, you can use a wood file and different grades of
sandpaper. Start with a course grade of sandpaper and finish up
with a fine grade. You can also use a sanding block to save your
hands.

Adding weights to your Car
Why add weight? Well, since you cut all that wood away, the block is now very
light. Your car accelerates down the track by the pull of gravity. More weight,
faster it goes. The rules say that your car can weigh no more than 5 ounces.
You goal should be to bring it as close to 5 ounces as you can.

The
easiest way to add weight to your car is to purchase a little set
of weights from a hobby shop or BSA. These weights come in segments
that snap off so you can add just the right amount of weight. The
weights can be glued on.

There
are many other ways to add weight to your car…you can drill
holes in the car and fill it with lead BBs or even glue a stack
of pennies to the car. Just be sure that whatever you use, it is
secured tightly so it doesn’t pop off during the race.

Painting
your Car
You are now ready for the final touches…painting, decals, and decorating.
This part should be done entirely by the child. Let them have fun picking the
colors and designs that they want on their car.

The
first coat of paint should be a wood primer because it will soak
into the wood to create a base for the top coat. After the primer
dries, sand it lightly with the very fine grade of sandpaper (200
or 400 grit). Next paint one or two finishing coats to get a clean,
polished look.

If
you are painting the car with a single color, use spray paint.
If you want more than one color, brush it on. Masking tape works
well to make straight, sharp lines. Just tape the part of the car
that you don’t want painted, paint away, then peal off the
masking tape. If you buy model paint and a small model paint brush,
you can paint intricate designs on the car, like stars, numbers,
happy face, scout symbols, etc. Most kids get into this part and
really have fun painting their cars.

Finishing
Touches
Aside from painting cool designs on your car, consider buying a set of decals.
Kids love them and they add a nice finished look to the car. SeeHow
to use decals. Kids
also like to glue on pieces of toys, like toy soldiers, car parts, lizards,
you name it and it has been done. If you really want a professional looking
car, car kits are sold that include fenders, exhaust pipes, bumpers, etc.

Wheels
We’re almost done. The last step is axle preparation and putting the
wheels on. The most important thing to remember is to deburr the nails that
you received in your kit. What does that mean? There is a sharp burr on the
underside of the nail head that must be removed. If you don’t remove
the burr, it will dig into the plastic wheels as the wheel turns, severely
slowing down your car. The easiest way to remove this burr is to place the
nail in a vice so the head is sticking up. Then gently file down the burr with
a fine file until it is totally removed. You can also remove it with sandpaper,
though this will take longer. Your objective is to make the axle as smooth
as possible.

When all four axles have been deburred, insert them into the block. They should
be inserted so the wheel is about 1/8” from the car. If the wheel is
too tight, the wheels will bind, slowing the car down. If they are too loose,
the car will wobble down the track.